FirstLight Fiber To Provide Internet Connectivity For Upstate New York Schools

Albany, New York-based fiber-optic infrastructure services provider FirstLight Fiber is providing Shenendehowa Central Schools with high speed internet including fiber optic connectivity. As a part of the deal, FirstLight will provide the district with increased speeds of 400 Mpbs to 1 Gbps of service. Shenendehowa Central Schools has about 9,850 students at eight elementary schools, three middle schools and a high school. The district located in Clifton Park in upstate New York, north of the state capital Albany. The district chose to work with the company among internet service providers in the area.

“FirstLight’s fiber-based solution enabled greater connectivity and more bandwidth, which helped to create an optimal learning environment,” Kurt Van Wagenen, President and CEO of FirstLight Fiber said in a statement. “We’re excited about what this network upgrade will mean for Shenendehowa Central Schools students, educators, and administrators.”

FirstLight Fiber works with school districts and colleges as a part of its business. During the summer, the company teamed up with Colby-Sawyer College to improve connectivity and enhance the private college’s administrative services and academic resources. The company has been busy expanding its business in 2016. In September  Oak Hill Capital Partners acquired FirstLight Fiber.  Oak Hill acquired the company from private equity owner Riverside Partners which is also investing in the deal and will continue as a minority investor in FirstLight. Financial terms of the completed transaction were not disclosed.

The company originally started as an Albany, New York focused fiber provider and expanded through the acquisitions of segTEL in New Hampshire, TelJet in Vermont and G4 in New Hampshire. During Riverside’s investment period, FirstLight expanded its fiber route miles from 199 miles to over 2,500 miles and today operates a network of nearly 275,000 fiber miles with over 2,000 on-net locations and 14,000 near-net buildings.